Transmission



NOV. 22, F JOHNSON` TRANSMISSION Filed M aroh 16. 1951 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY I 3g 29 A -ff 5 vWill overcome many of lthe diliiculties`in- Patented Nov. `22 1932 UNITED, STATES FRANK JOHNSON, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, Assrenonmo roma MoToRpoMPANYjbF PATEN'IO,'oFFIcEf Y DEARBORN, I1IGHIGAN,..A CORPORATION OF` DELAWARE .K

TRAnsMrssroN epimcation fiiednarch 16,1931. serial No. 522.876.

The object of my inventionis to provide a ltransmission having fa novel type `of gear shifting mechanism which mechanism will be `easy to operate, positive in its action,'and

herent in the conventional types of vshifting' mechanisms. More particularly, my invenf tion consists of a structure wherein a shift lever retaining lspring is mounted within V4the e transmission housing in position tourge the shift lever pivot finto engagementI with its4 spherical seat thereby maintaining an foil seal at this point, and further `to resiliently.

bile'transmissions the H type shift has been universally used, from which it will readily be seen that a universal mounting for the shift lever is essential.V A ball and spherical seat has proven itself to be the most satis'- factory'type ofjoint for use at this point and it is therefore incorporated in my improved device. In order that an oil type seal may be maintained between the shifterV lever ball and seat, a spring is usually provided r which coacts with the housingand the@ end of the lever to resiliently `urge the ballinto its seat. However, whenthis construction is used the natural tendency of this spring isto prevent distortion orbending ofitself'so that the axially shifting of one end of the spring, due to the movement of thegear shift lever, 1s resisted by the. inherent resistance of the spring.

With my improved device the shifter spring is allowed to pivot or roll on a suitable fulcrum line in a fore and laft direction, thereby .compensating for the fore and aft movement of the opposite end of the spring. Thus, there is no distortion rof the spring due tothe shifting ofthe lever and, therefor-e, the

vfeature of this-invention.

movement of the lever isnotfretarded .the

resistance of the spring; Infact, .my ful@ crum is so disposed, .as" will' hereinafter` be brought. out, .that the shiftv lever is resilient.`

`operative positions.

ly retained. by the shifter spring in its several `I My deviceis particularly suitable fonuse in. shifting four speed transmissionsor transmissions ,"ofev the :free-wheeling type wherein the "extra speedf is obtained] by shiftingy through one of the other speed positions.` 'It will readily beseenthat with the ordinary type of shift leverV .and` spring theldistortion of the shifter springjwhen infthis extrapositionQvvould be exceedingly (great .-s'o'-that 4.the

shift lever would 'tendl to be thrown outofpo-l sition by the shifter spring alone,nnle`ssfsome extra'speedfrposltions, the springr` plungers.

must be excessively heavy in order to counteract the action of the shift levere'spring."

These heavy plungers require anappreciable i pressure' on the shift lever. for `operation thereof, and it is'the overcoming of theseref e' uquirements,` and the provision of aneasily Opf eiat'ed'lever,` which is themostimportlant vStill a. further object of my provide ashift lever'. especially adaptedfor actuating the eXtra speed catch or dog required .in .transmissions wherein the .fourth speed is obtainedV byy shifting the. lever through one of thei other speeds.' In ysuch transmissions it isordinary practice tou-,provide a dog inthe inner end of the gear `shift lever which will inormallyfcoact with; ai stop in the housing so that -thelevercannotbe accidentally shifted through its third position. VJhen` it is desired toutilize thefourth position, the dog is raised orglovvered, so that'it will not coact with the fiXedstop the housr ing, thereby 'allowing vthe shift lever to, oper.v

inventionis to erally extend down along one side of the shift lever and are operated by an extrav handle similar to a ratchet-type brake lever construction. Such devices have the disadvantage of being hard to operate `in most installationsfThis is yespeciallyrtrue `where the shift lever isrequired to be bent rearwardly as is commonly done in most up-to-date autoa Y tion so that 'its .upperend can be conveniently operated bythe driver jto selectively shiftthe Y mobiles. l n Y Y l l Still' furtherV itffrequently happens 'that shift levers are bent Ywhile in service, either fto'suit the particular position for the shifter knob as desired by theparticular driver, or

more often, the'lever is bent through the application of excessive force on'y the operating v knob. "With" the Volder vtype of construction such bending caused the dog operating device tobind so as to be inoperative or even changed the leffective length of the -deviceso .that the positionsfof' the .dog were Valtered. nSuch l change in position of course renderedthe dog inoperative. My.. improved device'. may be bent either )intentionally 'or inadvertently through a large anglewithout altering in the slightest particular the 'actuation of the Adog operatir'igrdevice.y Y Y a Y y' Ihave provid da tubular shiftlever which has a flexible cable extending therethrough,rv

the 'upper end ofwhich-Eis. connected toa pu'sh button inthe*J shifter .knob while the'y lowery 'end is connectedV to the kdog reciprocally Y mountedon a lower end ofthe lever whereby actuation of the 'push y button `moves theV dog out lofen'gagement withthe stop inthe housing'. This cable being lflexible may] be threaded through the bend in the levergand y will yoperate'in a satisfactory manner without' Vattentionduring the full'life of the device, while being entirelyenclosed to'present a neat appearance.` 'It ymay be welljto men f "tigonfhere that noclaim is -made' to the par- "struction, and vcombination ofthe variousv Y I f in" Figure'v 1. f p

' Figure 3 shows a vertical central sectional Y yticularfcable`,5per se, inasmuch as any one of several Tof such f iexible cables nowpon the Y'market may be used'withentir'e satisfaction'.

Y 4WVitli these and other Yobjects inviewymy Vinvention consists in the arrangement, "conk'parts of my improved device,gasfdescribed'in 'thisspecificatiom claimed in ymy claims,fandV illustrated in which: Y f l Figure view through the'lower vportion kof my improved gear shiftk lever. a l

Figure v2` shows akcentral vsectional view throughrthe upper end of the lever, shown vthe accompanying drawing, in

Y view? @ken at rightvrangles tothe view, shown jin 'Figure 1. l Y Y* y Figurezt shows an enlarged'view of a.' por- Y tionvof my dog-'operatingV cable, and Y' YFigure shows a diagrammatic view illustrating thefactionuof my Vshifter retaining I ,spring :jf Y` f .Referring to the accompanying drawing, I i

generally by numeral 12, is mounted in posivarious shifter forksA Ainy the transmission.

yThe upper end ofthe housing 11 is provided withan annular bore 13 in which a sleeve '14 is fittedfand-,this sleeve is provided Vwit-ha spherical seat 27 ,thereinto universally mount the shifter lever. Y. A pin15 extends from the housing 1-1 into a suitablegroove in the sleeve f to prevent lrotation of the latter in thebore 11.

from'aluminum or one of its'alloys, while the sleeve 14is formedxfromYfsteel .to thereby make ay permanent spherical joint `fortle shift lever pivot.l Stillfurthenfbythisconstruction an oil tight 'joint cant-readily be yproduced forv the reason-that only the sleeve The. purpose of providing a'separate sleeve -lll is because the housing 11 is generally cast 'Y member 14 need be slotted to prevent-rotation ofthe'shifter lei'f-erfwhereasif the' integral construction Vis used; it is necessary to'provide a 'slot through ythe-housing for this purpose,

which slot invariably allows loiltoleak, out ofthe balljoin't. Y Y, Y' Y' f Y; Y Thel'ower end 'of 'the shiftlever 12r extends down through the sleevelilV and. is lprovided with anintegral spherical ball 16 formed thereonwhich ismachinedto lit in'Yt-lieseat` 27. v'.lhelowerend of the shifter leverfte'rmi' Y Ynates'witha ball end 17`which is Vin .position to co'actr with the transmission, shifter :forks Vtolthereby"selectively' shift the Vvigarious gears Yin the transmission. .A semi-spherical;dust

cap 18 isI secured to the shifter leverjust abovetheball 16,l which'cap forms argclosu're for the bore 13 and although fnofpositiveseat 1s lprovided between this fcapfand'the .hous- Tof the sleeve 14 by; this constructioinliesides forming a neat appearance fortliestructure Y a a Y Y Y, position for the driver to operate, the shift 1 shows a vertical, central, sectional `110 ing, still dust, water and the flikeare keptout I lever lisybent rearwardly just above the Aba'll i Y 16 sothatits uppery end projects diagonally 1 and rearwardly from the ballr joint. lVhen such construction is used,'means` must be providedto prevent' rotation of -the Ylever in the spherical goint so that lateral and for'- 20 extendsythisqpin extendingsthrough the lib 'sito Y shifted.

center of the'spherical ball 16' into which itis anchored. Thus, `the shift` lever isV prevented from Vrotation but is still allowed lengthwise andlateral oscillation for `thedesired shifting ofthe lever. The upper end of the lever l2 is provided with a knob 21 threaded thereon which is usually formed from bakelite, hard rubber. orsome similar substance wherebyv the lever may be conveniently manually It has Vbeen customary with such gear shift levers to. provide la compression spring eX- tending around the lever between the housing and the lower end thereof,l to thereby resiliently urge the spherical ball into its seat;

thereby preventing oil leakage from the transmission. Such'construction is satisfactory-where only a small angular movement of the shifter leverris required. In those f Atransmissions. requiring `a larger angular movement, the axial distortion of the lower end of theretaining spring becomes so great that excessive forcemust be applied to the lever to overcome the resistance of the spring and further ericessivelystrong spring f operatedplungers or similar devices must be employed'to prevent the accidental disengagement of the shiftleverfrom its selected'posh tion when` the car is being used.` The shift i lever mounting shown herein is particularly adapted for use inthose transmissions wherein large movement of the shifter lever is realthough Vinoperative for'this-pu'rpose in neutral position, resiliently holds the lever inany of 'its selected positions. A' shoulder 22 is formedon the lever.- intermediate of theball 17l and pivot ball 16 upon which aU-shaped washer 23, similar yto a valve spring retaining Y washer, is mounted and which in like manner serves to retain my shift lever spring. I have provided a pair of diametrically opposed pins 24 extending inwardly fromopposite sides of the housing 11 just below the sleeve member 14, the lower half of-the inner portions Vof which are exposed and form knife edge' fulcrums on each side of `the shift lever upon which a rocking washer 25 may pivot. The washer 25 is provided witha relativelyY large opening therein so that considerablevclean.

ance is obtained between the shift leverand the washer. It willbenotedfrom thedranrv i inglthat the. upper face of the washeris bevelled to allow alimited;rockingmovement-en thepins 24 and that the pivot lpoints on ythe washer are-'grooved toreceive the lower half r of these pins thereby preventing lateral CliS- placement `of the washer.-l VA compression spring 26 is interposed between the washers 23 and 25 to therebyconstantly urgethe spherical ball 16 into theseat 27 which also retainsthe sleeve 14 in the housing 11.

It will be noted from Figures l1 and 5 that when the lever is in its neutrali position, as shown in'Figure 1,the solefunction'offthe spring26 `is to maintain an oil tight joint be? tween the spherical ball and seat. However,`

when the lever is moved to one ofits shifted positions, as shown in Figure '5, then the spring 26 Ywill resilienty hold this leverr in such position for the reasonl that the total `distance from the washer 23 to the `center of the ball- 16 by way of the pivot pins 24 is greater than the direct distance `from fthe washer to the center of the ball.

*It will thus be seen thatshifting the lever back to neutral position will-require aslight rcompression of the spring 26, which compression, of course, tendsto retain theleverin its i shifted position.` This actionisobtained in all of the shifted positions' oneitherside of its neutralposition so that spring operated plungers and the like, which are usually provided in,conjunctionwith1the shifter fork interlocking mechanisms, while they may be included asamatter ofprecaution, still are only necessary for locatingV the shifter gear` shafts andmay, therefore,vbe offvery light counteract the action of such small plungers,

if included,is very small to thereby obtain a very easilyoperated device. l v j -As has been stated, my shift lever isparticularlya'd'apted `foruse in connection with four speed or freewheeling transmission, inA which case itis usuallyes'sential to provide a manually operablestopwhichcan be disengaged when it isdesired to shift intothe v construction. The manual force required to extra position. AU-shaped member 28fbent Y.

from flat stock is reciprocally mounted onthe lower' end of the shift lever 12, the shift lever extending through suitable openings' in the arms of this member. The lever is iatted at 29 and the U member is provided with a cor-'l respondingly shaped opening so` that thev memberis non-rotatably mounted on the le- In order that this member maynot be-l come 'accidentally' released 'from theV end of the lever, I have provided a sleeve 30 around llt" i thelever between the arms 'of the member,

which sleeve is held in position by a resilient retaining ringfl so thatV when this sleeve is in place only a limitedreciprocation ofthe member 28 will be permittedg A suitable-stop y plate 32 is bolted to the housing llin a plane with the lower arm ofthe member 28,W hen 1n its upper position, so that `when thegear shift lever is' shiftedtdth'ef nor-mal overrunning second# speed` "position, this' arm Vwill. strike against thelug 32 therebyther shiftingfof the lever..V I-Iowever', when the Vmember is pushed' downwardly thestop 32 allows the lever'lto vpass through -this over# running second speed position into a positive secondv speed position.

.',Althoughfthis stop mechanism is not'be? lieved to be newy init-self, I'fhave provided what 'is .believed lto be a novel meansv .for

operating'this mechanism. The vshifting Y lever 12 is generally a tubular section, that is,

the tube portion vextendsfrom` theball 16 upwardly through the upper Vend'lthereof.v

I Ahave provided a flexible cable which extends fromlthe knob 21 down through the tubularV lever 12' andfprojects out'from the side 'of the lever-just, below the ball lfrom where itfollowsthelever down to the mem.

vber-28. l This cableconsists generally of a closely'wound spring which formsv aflexible outer tube 3.3 into whichga second cable is reciprocably' mounted.y rIhis vsecond cable consists of ,one'for morelength's of relatively small piano wire 3 4 around which is wrapped a closely woundspring 35', the spring and en y 'closed wires being secu-rely fastened together attheirA ends., It will readily be seen that .Compressionofthis vsecond cable is resisted by thel closely wound springv while tension Athereonis resisted lby the enclosed wires 34. Although a single larger wire -couldI be used in place of this second cable, stillwthe device shown is more flexibleV andtherefore more easily operable. VOther types of cables may beprovided ifA desired, as the particulark structure shown is only one ofveseveral flex;

ible cablesnowin general use. YHowever, the particular methodfo'f mounting myrdevice 1n thel gear shift lever isbelievedt'o be new and isthesubject of claims in this application. The lower end ofthe tube 33 extends down through an opening36 `drilled through the ball 16 fromwheref-ity follows ina groove 37 to the lower end of fthe's'hift lever. Y ,Al ferrule 38 is secured `around the tube 33 adjacent to d the center of the ball 16, lwhichy ferrule is prof videdlwith'an annular groove therein so that the pin '20,VV projecting through the ball, may.

also extend through this groove "to prevent longitudinal movement of the tube. A sleeve 39 is fastened to the {lower end of the cable spring 35, which sleeveis provided with a notch Vinits lower portion; into` whichthe upper arm of the member 28 projects so that reciprocationofl the'v sleeve 39 will also reciprocate the memberwithin the limitsallovved` by the sleeve 30.' In order that the sleeve 30 may not form a. positive stop against the member 28, this sleeve -is notched. at 40 to allo'wf-clearance for KVthe lower end ofthe sleeve 39:1l f E Thev ,upper end of the ktube 33 is secured preventing furlv by means y Y 'lever when moved to its lsecond overrunning in a sleeve 41 which Visancho'red in the shift lever l2, while the upperend of 'the1 cable 35 is iXedly.v securedV .in aY terminal. screw 42.'V

which is reciprocally mountedY in the sleeve 41. The upper end of the screw 42 is threaded,v

tovreceiveya button .43 and a compressionv spring 44, interposed between ythe top of the lever 12 and button 43, resiliently urges the button to its upward position at. all times.'

When the device is infits normal positionthe button 43 isurged to its'upwardposition f thereby drawing them'ember 28 upwardly of the cable 35 -so vthatthefshift speed position is restricted "ffrom further movement by the stop 32;V However,'whenthe button 43 is depressed it pushes the member 28 downwardly thereby allowing the lever to be shifted into they eXtrafposit-ion.V

Among the many advantages` arising from sb e the use of my*k improved device, it may be :j

well to mention Vthat withthis type of cable*' actuating vmechanism all the parts .arevenm V.closed'except y.the operating button and av positively andv easyV yoperating device is assured. This device may readily be installed l, in .shifter levers having considerable bendV therein which .ordinarily n areYV diiiiculttosprovide with the type vof mechanism formerly supplied. Y v* use of my novel shiftil'ever retaining "spring mounting whereby the shift lever is resiliently urged into each of its shiftedpositions yso the shift lever from .thespirit. of .my invention,

ido Y be made in the arranges` i shift lever universally mounted 'thereima washer disposedaround said leverrfsoas to be permitted; a limited rocking movement upon the housing, a second washer disposed v aroundone end of said lever, andafspring interposed between said washers whereby the shiftflever is yresiliently urged intoits mount; .x ing and the 'distortion ofvsaid spring due yto shifting the lever is minimized.

2."In a transmission, ahousing-having a shift 'lever yuniversally mounted therein` one end of which projects into said housing, a

pair of. diametrically opposed pins projecting through said housing, afwa-sher pivotally mounted on said pins so asto be permitted a limited rockingmovement, and aspring in; v Y i terposed'between the enclosed end'ofsaidilever and said .washervto therebyiesiliently urls@ the Shift'1e-Yer'-1et? 1 e9ieivgend y i e. mst,V Still another advantage :results fromltheV minimize the distortion of said spring due Y v Y to the shifting ofthe lever.

housing, a pair of diametrically opposed pins 1 3. In a transmission, a housing, a shift lever having a ball on its intermediate por` A .tion upon which it is mounted in said house ing, a pair of diametrioallzyT opposed pins pro# jecting from said housing to position adja; i

projecting through said housing to position adjacent to the lower portion of said ball, a Washer pivotally mounted on said pins so as to be permitted the limited rocking movement, a second washer disposed around the enclosed end of said lever, and a spring intere posed between said washers thereby resilienty ly urging said ball into its mounting and minimizing the distortion of said spring due to the shitting of the lever. n

March 4, 1931. Y ,FRANK JOHNSON. 

